Sour Beer

A beer style characterized by an acidic, tart, sour taste. The style has increased in popularity but remains largely a niche style. In theory any style of beer may be soured, however most common styles that are soured are Belgian styles, including lambics, gueuzes, and Flander ales. Souring may be achieved through yeast strains or bacteria. The most common agent used is lactobacillus.

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Constellation Brands to buy craft beer brewer Ballast Point

Nov 16 (Reuters) - Constellation Brands Inc said it will buy Sculpin IPA-owner Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits for about $1 billion to enter the fast-growing craft beer market, in what will be its biggest acquisition since 2012.

World's biggest beer makers agree to join forces

BRUSSELS (AP) — The world's top two beer makers agreed Tuesday to join forces to create a company that would control nearly a third of the global market and bring together top U.S. brands Budweiser and Miller Genuine Draft.

Saint Archer Brewing Company joins Tenth and Blake

Tenth and Blake, the craft and import division of MillerCoors, announced today an agreement to acquire a majority interest in Saint Archer Brewing Company.

Founded in San Diego in 2013 by a talented group of entrepreneurs, artists, skateboarders and surfers, Saint Archer brews an award-winning range of ales including Blonde Ale, IPA, White Ale and Pale Ale. Saint Archer expects to sell 35,000 barrels of beer in 2015, up more than 100 percent over 2014, making it one of the fastest-growing breweries in California. Tenth and Blake plans to support its continued growth under the ongoing leadership of Josh Landan, Saint Archer co-founder and president.

“We have always wanted to get great beer into more people’s hands,” said Landan. “We were fortunate that brewers big and small were interested in partnering with us, but Tenth and Blake was the clear choice. Tenth and Blake shares our passion for putting great beer first. Joining Tenth and Blake allows us to keep doing what we love right here in San Diego, but now with more resources to innovate and grow. With Tenth and Blake’s help, we hope to one day be a national brand.”

Saint Archer’s management and their team will continue to brew, package, ship, and sell Saint Archer’s outstanding portfolio of high-quality brands. Saint Archer will be run as a separate business unit of Tenth and Blake.

“We’re really excited about our partnership with Saint Archer,” said Scott Whitley, president and CEO of Tenth and Blake. “Saint Archer is consistent with our strategy of building our high-end portfolio while driving topline growth. Josh and his team represent everything we look for in a partner. Saint Archer brews award-winning ales across a variety of styles that are complementary to our current portfolio—including some outstanding IPAs. We’re excited at the prospect of working together to support the continued success of Saint Archer.”

Saint Archer picked up two gold medals at the 2014 San Diego International Beer Festival and a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.

Saint Archer joins other leading crafts in the Tenth and Blake portfolio, including Blue Moon Brewing Company, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Crispin Cider Company and a minority equity stake in Terrapin Beer Company.

The transaction is expected to complete in October 2015. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Anheuser-Busch Buys 10 Barrel Brewing

AB InBev has announced that it has purchased another craft brewery—Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing. According to CNN, this is the second small brewery AB InBev has purchased this year, acquiring Blue Point in New York earlier in 2014.

Pabst Sold for $700 Million

Looks like Pabst Brewing Company, makers of Pabst Blue Ribbon, is being sold to Oasis Beverages, a Russian brewing company and distributor. According to the New York Times, Oasis will pay between $700 and $750 million for the brand. In addition to PBR, Pabst also makes Colt 45 and Old Milwaukee, in addition to other legacy brands and local favorites including Lone Star, Ranier, Old Style, Schlitz and National Bohemian.

Miller Lite Brings Back Its White Label, Possibly Also Its Mojo

bottleThe return of Miller Lite’s original white can design was supposed to be a three-month novelty with an Anchorman 2 tie-in. The brand replaced the blue cans that have been in beer aisles since 2001, and an unexpected thing happened: Miller Lite sales immediately increased in the U.S. Encouraged, MillerCoors made the white cans permanent. Now bottles and tap handles will get the white label treatment, too.

Anheuser-Busch to import Montejo from Mexico

Hoping to tap the fast-growing Hispanic market, Anheuser-Busch is importing its first Mexican lager to the U.S.

The subsidiary of Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest beer maker, said Wednesday that starting next month it will sell Montejo lager in bars, restaurants and grocery stores in California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. The move comes as both the Hispanic population and the market for Hispanic foods continues to grow in the U.S.

MillerCoors shifts to plastic bottles for economy products

MillerCoors is rolling out new Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging on all of its 32- and 40-ounce singles bottles in its “economy portfolio” of beverages.MillerCoors is converting its "economy portfolio" of beverages to plastic bottles.

"It's a big investment for us," said Anna Tsurkis, marketing manager, economy portfolio. "We see these plastic bottles as being an important part of (MillerCoors') innovation."

Is America facing a beer crisis?

As it’s done for nearly a quarter of a century, Anheuser-Busch (BUD) will once again roll out splashy commercials during the Super Bowl to get people talking about Budweiser and, hopefully, drinking it. But a new report suggests that young adults—the prime demographic for these advertisements—will need a lot of persuading.

MillerCoors Seeks Spirits Fans With Bourbon-Like Lager

At MillerCoors LLC headquarters in Chicago, brewmaster Manny Manuele pulls a black bottle of the company’s newest beer from an icy bucket.

He pops the cap with a showy reverence honed by countless tastings during a 35-year career. This time, rather than tilt the brew into a tall pint glass, he pours the amber brew into a stubby rocks glass usually reserved for whiskey neat.

Anheuser-Busch Will Buy Top Korean Beer Maker

The world’s largest beer brewer announced it’s buying top Korean beer maker Oriental Brewery in a $5.8 billion deal, as the game of musical chairs between alcohol producers in East and West continues.

For Belgian beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev, it was a buy-back. It had originally sold South Korea’s premier brewery for $1.8 billion in 2008 to a private equity firm, and will now repurchase the much-expanded company for a higher price tag, said the Wall Street Journal. The $5.8 billion sale of the brewer to Anheuser-Busch by private equity firms KKR Co. and Affinity was the biggest private equity exit in Asia ever.

The Craft Beer Market Has Exploded, And Now Brewers Are Worried About A Collapse

For now, the buzz is positive, but beneath the surface, there are signs of trouble. Breweries are undercapitalized and the old guard well remembers a brutal stretch between 1996 and 2000 when 300 breweries closed as the market cratered due to a flood of inferior product and fickle consumer tastes.

Anheuser-Busch Brews Up New Strategies for 2014

ST. LOUIS -- Despite fighting some negative perceptions during the past few years, beer remains a profitable category for convenience stores. In fact, recent data indicates that for every dollar retailers invest in beer, they will get back $8.30, according to Chris Williams, vice president of national sales at Anheuser-Busch. When looking at c-stores specifically, that number goes to $5 for every $1 invested.

Miller Chill Is Out After Frigid Sales

MillerCoors is putting the freeze on Miller Chill. The lime-flavored beer, which was once locked in a high-profile battle with Bud Light Lime, will be discontinued next year as the brewer focuses on other priorities, including the upcoming launches of higher-alcohol Miller Fortune and Smith & Forge Hard Cider.